Genius sometimes consists of knowing when to stop.
-Charles de Gaulle
Modern problems need modern solutions. Every day our life starts with a digital alarm, good morning texts and ends with good night texts from our loved ones. The digital era may reduce the distance, but it consumes our entire self into it.
We are also helped by several assistants in our contemporary moments, like Alexa, OK Google, and Hey Siri. They are robust and intelligent, interrupting human speeches and responding to us in synthesized voices. These virtual assistants have become a part of our everyday lives, assisting us with a variety of chores and presenting us with real-time information on what we (brainy people) loaded into their system.
We live in a data-driven society where everything around us works by algorithm. The most compact knowledge centre must be appreciated rather than being discriminated against for its captivation of users. All this captivation stems from the release of Dopamine, one of four happy hormones, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and rewards.
Every decade the trend keeps changing, from gramophone to radio, record collection to tape, then Television to CD/DVD, iPod to mobile. Ignoring or completely NO to screens will cause catastrophe in relationships with children rather than being healthy. So, to stop being its captive, we all must learn to accept its existence.
According to CPS, the Canadian Pediatrician Society (founded in 1922) suggests shifting its focus from No-Screen Time to Healthy-Screen Time. The global pandemic shutdown plays a major role in Screen Time for kids, especially in schools and other soft-skilled development through screens that are compact in our hands.
How to reduce screen time for kids?
Timer:
We have the ultimate defence, the timer. With the timer, we can control our children’s screen time. By limiting our technology usage, we may retake control of our digital lives and ensure enough time for bonding.
Apps for Kids:
The app developers create children-friendly versions of popular adult platforms that create child-friendly versions of popular adult platforms, providing young users with a safe and age-appropriate experience.
It’s important to remember that while these apps offer children a safe and engaging environment, parental guidance and supervision are still crucial.
For example, YouTube Kids, Amazon Kids+, and Messenger Kids.
Play-Way Activity:
Engaging our kids with various indoor and outdoor activities may reduce screen time for kids. But the reality is kids always imitate their elders. We also need to go along with them.
For instance, in chess, instead of a boring lecture, we may read from the newspaper loudly, watch the news or casually talk with our partner about the recent victory of Gugesh, the World Championship or Praggnanandhaa, an Indian Chess Grandmaster or about his sister. These may kindle the interest in our kids to know about those personalities and want to do something to win back their attention.
Storytelling:
This ancient method is yet a powerful one to implement and a source of encouraging children to disconnect from screens and embrace a balanced lifestyle. It also improves their imagination and creativity, along with the development of language and culture.
Sharing stories with children is a fun activity, bedtime stories can establish a calming bedtime routine, reducing reliance on screens before sleep. Storytelling enhances essential skills such as listening, vocabulary development, and critical thinking.
By surrounding ourselves with good influences and creating healthy behaviours, we may generate a ripple effect that distributes optimism to others. By sharing optimism and exhibiting the advantages of living a meaningful life, we can motivate others to make similar changes. This ripple effect has the potential to build a community of people seeking pleasure and significance in their lives.
It is critical to recognise the value of our time and energy and to invest them wisely in activities that offer us joy and realisation. By prioritising activities that correspond with our beliefs and provide us with fulfilment, we may motivate others to do the same.
Furthermore, by setting boundaries and saying no to activities that deplete our energy, we may provide a positive example of self-care and inspire others to do the same.
We open ourselves up to a world of possibilities by intentionally choosing to detach from harmful relationships and behaviours, paving the path for a better and more meaningful future. Let us endeavour to live a positive life and embrace the power of positivity.
The Momma Clan 
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